The present invention relates to a method of producing and drying a meal of cooked animal material, especially fish or fish pulp, the cooked fish pulp being pressed for separation of liquid and the separated liquid after centrifuging and concentration, if desired, being added to the fish pulp during the drying thereof.
In the production of fish oil and fish meal the raw material is first cooked, i.e. it is heated to such a temperature as to coagulate the proteins, whereupon the cooked pulp is pressed and dried. The separated liquid is centrifuged for separation of oil, and the remaining separator liquid, called stick water, is usually concentrated in an evaporating plant. The concentrate is mixed with the pressed pulp during the drying thereof.
In the drying process to which the meal is subjected, it is important that the drying time for the meal is as short as possible and that the drying takes place at a relatively low temperature, so that the quality of the meal and the nutritious matter thereof is degraded as little as possible.